Fiji's tribal chiefs slam decision to remove Queen from currency

Fiji's tribal chiefs have slammed a decision by the Pacific state's military rulers to remove the Queen's picture from the national currency.

Fijian military Commodore Frank Bainimarama and the Queen's face on a Fijian two dollar banknotePhoto: AP/Alamy

By Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney

9:17AM GMT 03 Dec 2012

The chiefs have expressed "shock" and say they long ago bestowed the chiefly title of Tui Viti – or monarch – on the British royals, who are "held in high regard by all Fijians".

"[The decision has] been met with great shock and much sadness [as] the royal family is held in very high regard and passion by Fijians," a prominent chief, Adi Litia Qioniaravi, told ABC Radio.

"I don't think that the significance of the royal household of Windsor to the original Fijians is clearly understood now. I'm saying this because our high chiefs had given the highest position of chief of Fiji – the head chief of Fiji – to the royal household."

The Reserve Bank of Fiji said last week that a new currency without the image of the Queen would enter circulation from January 2. Her image will be replaced by the state's flora and fauna.

The bank said it was sad to remove the Queen's image but "it is time to move forward and promote our very own unique national treasure and the biodiversity that lies all around us".

A government spokeswoman rejected claims that the military dictator, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, or his appointed president might appear on the banknotes instead of the Queen.

British royals have appeared on Fiji banknotes since 1934 and remained both after independence in 1970 and after the country became a Republic in 1987. But the country's current military rulers were angered after Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth following its 2006 military coup.

One of Fiji's paramount chiefs, Ro Teimumu Kepa, also expressed disappointment, saying the decision was made without consultation and the Queen is still held in high regard by the people.

The decision was also slammed by the local opposition, including General Sitiveni Rabuka, who led the country's first coup in 1987 and oversaw Fiji's move to a Republic.

"It is a childish way of trying to forget our historical connections with those that were responsible for founding this nation," he told ABC Radio.

"In 1970 we became independent, but Australia, New Zealand and Canada were independent before us and they still use the Queen's head on their currency. We have forgotten the colonial past – we are now moving to the future, but there are certain things we cannot change – we can remove the Queen's head but that doesn't mean we erase our history."

A former opposition leader, Mick Beddoes, said Commodore Bainimarama was unelected and has no right to make decisions about national symbols.

"This is certainly not a matter that an unelected regime ... and the institutions that are currently operating under its control, to make such decisions – I don't believe that they have a right, and frankly they don't have a mandate," he said.